My New Best Friend?

Quick update:  Things went fine!  The surgery began around 7 AM and I was able to go home a little after 10 AM.  It's almost 2 PM as I write this and so far, I don't feel any pain.  When I was changing back into my street clothes, I noticed I have little marker dots on my inner calves and inner thighs on both legs... makes you wonder what goes on while you are under!  My doctor also signed his name on my back.  Can't wash off this body graffiti until Sunday when I can shower...but only getting my front wet.  If I want a complete shower they suggested wrapping my mid-section in Saran Wrap!  Don't think I'll be going that route!  Thanks for all the prayers and good wishes!  

When I had my pre-op appointment on Monday, the nurse said, "Let me introduce you to your new best friend."  It's the back brace that I have to wear for 6 weeks after my microdiscectomy Friday morning.  I have to be at the surgi-center at 5:30 AM and the surgery is scheduled for 6:30 AM.  My doctor said, "6:30 AM!?  I better have lots of coffee!"  I'm not counting on it starting on time because I've never waited less than an hour for an appointment with him and it's usually more like 2 hours.  It's supposed to take an hour to 90 minutes at the most.  Jeff will wait until it's over in the waiting room so the doctor can come in and tell him how things went.  Then I told him to go home and wait until they call and tell him I can go home.  I'm hoping that's around noon.

So back to the back brace... The doctor said that people are most likely to re-injure their back 2 to 4 weeks after the surgery because that's when you start feeling back to normal but you really aren't healed yet.  After 4 weeks, scar tissue builds up which makes it less likely for the disc to herniate again.  So for those 4 to 6 weeks, I am going to try to follow the instructions of "no BLT"- bending, lifting or twisting- by wearing the back brace like I'm supposed to.  Thankfully, I don't have to wear it at night.  When the nurse fitted me for the back brace, she came with a medium but it was too big so at least I was happy I wore a small.  Once you put it on, it has a little pulley cord to tighten it.  Reminded me of Mammy pulling on the laces of Scarlet O'Hara's corset.  Here's a photo of me modeling my new best friend.

Isn't this going to be fun to wear through all of the summer?  Like I'm going to want to walk around in public wearing this!  Maybe I can buy some big muu muu type dresses to wear over it.  I'll try and post an update Friday afternoon or maybe have Jeff do it for me if I'm too doped up.  I have two different pain medications the doctor prescribed since when he asked me my preferred pain medicine, I didn't have a clue since I've never really needed any before.